Ring TossSubmitted by Lisa
Use a puppet stand or coat rack to make a ring toss. Tape different faces (happy, sad, animals, silly, etc) When the child rings a face they act out the face. Pin the Nose on the ClownSubmitted by Jenni
Give each child a nose (pompom with double sided tape on it) and blind fold them and have them put the nose on the clown (you can spin the children but it is better not to do this for younger ones)- just a thought for this one, maybe while they're blindfolded, we could have the other students give them clues as to where to put the nose? i.e. up, down, over, etc. Roller BallSubmitted by Jenni
Tape a piece of cardboard to one end of a muffin pan. Put the pan on a chair and have the cardboard go to the ground. Put different prizes in the muffin tins and then have your children roll tennis balls (or other small balls) up the ramp and into a muffin space. When they get it into a space give them the prize for that space (let your children play until they win a prize, then they can give the next child a chance). Go FishSubmitted by an Unknown Friend
Create a fishing pole using a stick and a piece of yarn with a magnet tied to the end. Write different prizes on paper and tape them to magnets. Have your children try to catch the prizes.
Cotton Candy MatchSubmitted by an Unknown Friend
Create triangular cotton candy holders and puffy looking cotton candy cutouts in several different colors. Let your students match the cotton candy with its matching holder. - maybe to get more movement in this, instead of writing prizes on the pieces of paper, we could write movements such as jump up and down 3 times, turn around in a circle, do jumping jacks, etc. Bean Bag TossSubmitted by Paige
Draw a large clown face on a piece of poster board. Cut a hole out where the clown's mouth would be (make it at least twice the size of the beanbag). Tape the board to a chair and let each of your children take three tries to throw the beanbag into the clown's mouth. Jump Through HoopsSubmitted by an Unknown Friend
Get Hula Hoops and let the children jump through them. To add a bit of excitement wrap red and orange ribbon around the hula hoop and pretend it is on fire! Mix and MatchSubmitted by Paige
Cut out two of various carnival shapes (clowns, rides, cotton candy, etc.) Put them all in a bowl or a clowns hat and let the children match them and then sort them any way they see fit Grand Prize GameSubmitted by Lisa
Set up several coffee cans in row. Have your children take turns tossing ping pong balls or painted clothespins inot them.
Animal BalloonsSubmitted by Tina
One player is selected to be the "lion tamer." The other players are the "lions." To start, the lion tamer holds the hula hoop at ground level while each of the lions steps through it.
During the next round, the lion tamer raises the hoop slightly, and the lions must climb through it again. Play continues in this way until one or more of the lions cannot make it through the hoop.
The last lion in the game becomes the new lion tamer, and the game starts over again. Play as many rounds as desired.
*Note: This game can be modified by using a pole instead of a hula hoop and playing limbo-style. Tell the children they are "acrobats" and must try to pass under the pole every time it's lowered.
Relay Races
Rolling hula hoops, carrying peanuts in spoons, holding balls in between
your knees or even three legged races are always popular with children
and easy to prepare. Consider your play space and the age of your
children when planning. http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/party.circus.htmMore circus clown party games and activities from Birthday In a Box...
The ever popular tin can alley game can be found at fairs . The cans are set up like a pyramid while the object of the game is to knock over all the cans. To do this the child would throw a soft ball or sand bag to try to knock down the cans.
Materials Needed:
6 tin cans
Soft ball or small sand bag
Cardboard Sign Stating "Tin Can Alley"
Set Up: Clean all cans and ensure the labels are taken off. Examples of cans include vegetable cans or soup cans. Place three cans in the bottom row. The next row will have two cans, above the three cans. Then one can on top. This set up will look almost like a pyramid-as shown below.
Object of Game:
The object of the game is to try to knock down all the cans. As we are dealing with young preschool children, they may need to start with just three cans (two on bottom, one on top). This will help them get used to aiming and knocking down the cans. This activity allows for the children to use their fine motor skills as they grasp the ball or sand bag and their gross motor skills as they throw the ball or sand bag.
Duck Pond Game
Everyone remembers the fun duck pond game when they were little. Small toy ducks would float in a small tub of water. The object of the game was to find a marking on the bottom of the duck.
Materials Needed:
Ten toy ducks
Small tub or large bowl (large enough to fit all ten ducks)
Marker
Set Up: The teacher will mark the bottom of the ducks beforehand. Number the ducks one to five. So there should be a pair of ones, a pair of twos, a pair of threes, a pair of fours, and a pair of fives. Fill the tub or large bowl up with water. Not too much, just enough water is needed for the ducks to float. Paper towels should be nearby for the water messes.
Object of Game: The object of this game is for the preschool student to find matching pair. Taking turns each student would choose two ducks at a time. If the ducks do not match they will put them back. If they do match they will set them aside. (teacher should set up paper towels on the side for the matched ducks) This carnival game will help students identify numbers as well as matching up pairs.
Dry Fishing for Colors
This activity brings a new twist to the old fishing carnival game. Materials Needed:
Small aquarium fishnet
Ten small styrofoam balls
Food coloring
Small tub or large bowl
Set Up: Teacher will need to prepare the styrofoam balls before this game is set up in class. Using the food coloring, the teacher will dye the styrofoams balls. Depending on what color you want you will use a number of drops for each color. For instance for dark red use about ten drops of red but for light pink use one drop of red. The drops will be placed in a cup of water. Then soak balls for a few minutes. Take balls out and dry on paper towels. Object of Game:__
For the carnival activity the teacher will place the colored balls into the tub or large bowl without water. Each child will take a turn fishing for a color. The child will take the small net and the teacher will call out a color. The child will then use the net to "fish" for the correct colored ball.
This preschool carnival activity is great for recognizing colors as well as using fine motor skills.
Prizes
The teacher can use small prizes such as stickers or fun colored pencils to reward the students when they "win" at these preschool carnival activities. Ensure that each child wins a game at least one time. So if you have ten students, figure each student will win each of the three games once. You are looking at ninety stickers to give away. Have fun with this and show off your fishing or throwing skills as well!
Partner Juggling Children pass two beanbags to each other, alternating throws. See how many they can do without one falling.
Source: www.kinderplans.com
Balloon Head Race
Required: Balloons
Players: Small to large groups
Organize players so that they’re into pairs and each team receives a partially inflated balloon. When the game starts, teams must race to a finish line carrying a balloon between their heads, remember don’t use your hands. On hot days try it with water balloons or through a sprinkler. You can even try an obstacle course.
Source: www.funattic.com
Listening Games EGG TIMER
Set and hide an egg timer somewhere in a room. Have your child try to find it before or after it rings.
SOUND TAPES
Using a tape recorder, record a variety of songs around your house with which your child is familiar. Examples, water running, pouring milk, clock, timer, furnace, washing machine, etc. As you play the tape for your child have her try to name what each sound is.
WAKE UP BELL
Play a simple game of pretending to sleep and waking up when you hear a bell ring. Take turns with your child being the sleeper and ringing the bell.
START / STOP Using two noise makers, such as, a bell and a drum, instruct your child to walk when he hears the bell and to stop when he hears the drum. Your child will want a turn making the sounds, too.
Source: www.preschoolexpress.com
Random Games I thought of... (not carnival-specific)
*Simon Says
*Mother May I?
*an obstacle course that you have to go through with a partner
Use a puppet stand or coat rack to make a ring toss. Tape different faces (happy, sad, animals, silly, etc) When the child rings a face they act out the face.
Pin the Nose on the ClownSubmitted by Jenni
Give each child a nose (pompom with double sided tape on it) and blind fold them and have them put the nose on the clown (you can spin the children but it is better not to do this for younger ones)- just a thought for this one, maybe while they're blindfolded, we could have the other students give them clues as to where to put the nose? i.e. up, down, over, etc.
Roller BallSubmitted by Jenni
Tape a piece of cardboard to one end of a muffin pan. Put the pan on a chair and have the cardboard go to the ground. Put different prizes in the muffin tins and then have your children roll tennis balls (or other small balls) up the ramp and into a muffin space. When they get it into a space give them the prize for that space (let your children play until they win a prize, then they can give the next child a chance).
Go FishSubmitted by an Unknown Friend
Create a fishing pole using a stick and a piece of yarn with a magnet tied to the end. Write different prizes on paper and tape them to magnets. Have your children try to catch the prizes.
Cotton Candy MatchSubmitted by an Unknown Friend
Create triangular cotton candy holders and puffy looking cotton candy cutouts in several different colors. Let your students match the cotton candy with its matching holder. - maybe to get more movement in this, instead of writing prizes on the pieces of paper, we could write movements such as jump up and down 3 times, turn around in a circle, do jumping jacks, etc.
Bean Bag TossSubmitted by Paige
Draw a large clown face on a piece of poster board. Cut a hole out where the clown's mouth would be (make it at least twice the size of the beanbag). Tape the board to a chair and let each of your children take three tries to throw the beanbag into the clown's mouth.
Jump Through HoopsSubmitted by an Unknown Friend
Get Hula Hoops and let the children jump through them. To add a bit of excitement wrap red and orange ribbon around the hula hoop and pretend it is on fire!
Mix and MatchSubmitted by Paige
Cut out two of various carnival shapes (clowns, rides, cotton candy, etc.) Put them all in a bowl or a clowns hat and let the children match them and then sort them any way they see fit
Grand Prize GameSubmitted by Lisa
Set up several coffee cans in row. Have your children take turns tossing ping pong balls or painted clothespins inot them.
Animal BalloonsSubmitted by Tina
http://www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/carnival/games.htm
What You'll Need:* A Large Hula Hoop or a Pole*
At The Party:
One player is selected to be the "lion tamer." The other players are the "lions." To start, the lion tamer holds the hula hoop at ground level while each of the lions steps through it.
During the next round, the lion tamer raises the hoop slightly, and the lions must climb through it again. Play continues in this way until one or more of the lions cannot make it through the hoop.
The last lion in the game becomes the new lion tamer, and the game starts over again. Play as many rounds as desired.
*Note: This game can be modified by using a pole instead of a hula hoop and playing limbo-style. Tell the children they are "acrobats" and must try to pass under the pole every time it's lowered.
http://www.birthdayinabox.com:80/party-ideas/guidesdetails.asp?aseq=340&bgs=28&dept_id=&lk=10507&id=1154
Rolling hula hoops, carrying peanuts in spoons, holding balls in between
your knees or even three legged races are always popular with children
and easy to prepare. Consider your play space and the age of your
children when planning.
http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/party.circus.htmMore circus clown party games and activities from Birthday In a Box...
http://www.brighthub.com/education/early-childhood/articles/61213.aspx
Tin Can Activity
The ever popular tin can alley game can be found at fairs . The cans are set up like a pyramid while the object of the game is to knock over all the cans. To do this the child would throw a soft ball or sand bag to try to knock down the cans.
Materials Needed:
- 6 tin cans
- Soft ball or small sand bag
- Cardboard Sign Stating "Tin Can Alley"
Set Up:Clean all cans and ensure the labels are taken off. Examples of cans include vegetable cans or soup cans. Place three cans in the bottom row. The next row will have two cans, above the three cans. Then one can on top. This set up will look almost like a pyramid-as shown below.
Object of Game:
The object of the game is to try to knock down all the cans. As we are dealing with young preschool children, they may need to start with just three cans (two on bottom, one on top). This will help them get used to aiming and knocking down the cans. This activity allows for the children to use their fine motor skills as they grasp the ball or sand bag and their gross motor skills as they throw the ball or sand bag.
Duck Pond Game
Everyone remembers the fun duck pond game when they were little. Small toy ducks would float in a small tub of water. The object of the game was to find a marking on the bottom of the duck.Materials Needed:
- Ten toy ducks
- Small tub or large bowl (large enough to fit all ten ducks)
- Marker
Set Up:The teacher will mark the bottom of the ducks beforehand. Number the ducks one to five. So there should be a pair of ones, a pair of twos, a pair of threes, a pair of fours, and a pair of fives. Fill the tub or large bowl up with water. Not too much, just enough water is needed for the ducks to float. Paper towels should be nearby for the water messes.
Object of Game:
The object of this game is for the preschool student to find matching pair. Taking turns each student would choose two ducks at a time. If the ducks do not match they will put them back. If they do match they will set them aside. (teacher should set up paper towels on the side for the matched ducks) This carnival game will help students identify numbers as well as matching up pairs.
Dry Fishing for Colors
This activity brings a new twist to the old fishing carnival game.Materials Needed:
- Small aquarium fishnet
- Ten small styrofoam balls
- Food coloring
- Small tub or large bowl
Set Up:Teacher will need to prepare the styrofoam balls before this game is set up in class. Using the food coloring, the teacher will dye the styrofoams balls. Depending on what color you want you will use a number of drops for each color. For instance for dark red use about ten drops of red but for light pink use one drop of red. The drops will be placed in a cup of water. Then soak balls for a few minutes. Take balls out and dry on paper towels.
Object of Game:__
For the carnival activity the teacher will place the colored balls into the tub or large bowl without water. Each child will take a turn fishing for a color. The child will take the small net and the teacher will call out a color. The child will then use the net to "fish" for the correct colored ball.
This preschool carnival activity is great for recognizing colors as well as using fine motor skills.
Prizes
The teacher can use small prizes such as stickers or fun colored pencils to reward the students when they "win" at these preschool carnival activities. Ensure that each child wins a game at least one time. So if you have ten students, figure each student will win each of the three games once. You are looking at ninety stickers to give away. Have fun with this and show off your fishing or throwing skills as well!Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/education/early-childhood/articles/61213.aspx#ixzz0gkVjdbZn
Partner Juggling
Children pass two beanbags to each other, alternating throws. See how many they can do without one falling.
Source: www.kinderplans.com
Balloon Head Race
Players: Small to large groups
Listening Games
EGG TIMER
Set and hide an egg timer somewhere in a room. Have your child try to find it before or after it rings.
Using a tape recorder, record a variety of songs around your house with which your child is familiar. Examples, water running, pouring milk, clock, timer, furnace, washing machine, etc. As you play the tape for your child have her try to name what each sound is.
Play a simple game of pretending to sleep and waking up when you hear a bell ring. Take turns with your child being the sleeper and ringing the bell.
Using two noise makers, such as, a bell and a drum, instruct your child to walk when he hears the bell and to stop when he hears the drum. Your child will want a turn making the sounds, too.
Random Games I thought of... (not carnival-specific)
*Simon Says
*Mother May I?
*an obstacle course that you have to go through with a partner